Monday, December 3 2018

More people are living and working in downtown or urban neighborhoods, which is increasing demand for urban deliveries. An Iowa State University researcher says we can expect more congestion and pollution as a result. That is why Johanna Amaya Leal and a team of researchers are looking for solutions.

With the publication of this year’s Iowa Crop Performance Tests results this month, the program is preparing to launch its 100th year in 2019. The Iowa Crop Performance Tests take place on ISU research farms and cooperating private farms across the state. They gauge the performance of roughly 200 varieties of corn and soybeans to help farmers make informed decisions on what seeds to plant.

Over the last three years, sketchnoting has been introduced to about 1,000 students, faculty and staff across a wide range of disciplines at Iowa State University. This fall, an interdisciplinary research team is studying how this alternative to traditional note-taking affects learning.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is honoring seven Iowa State researchers for their distinguished contributions to agriculture, biological sciences, chemistry and engineering. The AAAS is the world's largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science.

A new study led by an Iowa State University scientist shows that increases in crop production due to expanding acreage devoted to agriculture in five Midwestern states between 2006 and 2016 has reduced the region’s soil carbon content. The reduced carbon storage capacity means that some carbon that once resided in the soil and plant life is released into the atmosphere instead.

Losing just a couple hours of sleep at night makes you angrier, especially in frustrating situations, according to new Iowa State University research. While the results may seem intuitive, the study is one of the first to provide evidence that sleep loss causes anger. The research also provides new insight on our ability to adjust to irritating conditions when tired.

An international team of scientists, including an ISU biomedical researcher, conducted genomic studies of 81 worm species, including 45 that had never been sequenced before, and documented nearly a million new genes. The research might identify promising targets for new medical treatments to combat parasitic worms, a major global threat to human and animal health.

Online shopping platforms have changed the way we shop for everything from household items to holiday gifts. The success of an online platforms depends on its ability to pair buyers and sellers and remove low-quality sellers, according to new Iowa State University research.

Iowa State's Manimaran Govindarasu and Sourabh Bhattacharya are turning to game theory to help quantify threats of cyberattacks on the power grid. They're also developing cybersecurity tools that could help protect the grid and could be adapted to other cyber-physical infrastructure such as oil, natural gas and transportation systems. Their research is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation.

Austin Stewart’s passion for building and supporting community, and how art weaves through it all, has led him across America – including his pilgrimage with a monk 13 years ago. Today, the assistant professor of art and visual culture splits his time between teaching digital media in Iowa State’s College of Design and revamping a former feed mill and warehouse on Ames’ west side.

Lifting weights for less than an hour a week may reduce your risk for a heart attack or stroke by 40 to 70 percent, according to a new Iowa State University study. Spending more than an hour in the weight room did not yield any additional benefit, the researchers found. The results show benefits of strength training are independent of running, walking or other aerobic activity.

Singing may provide benefits beyond improving respiratory and swallow control in people with Parkinson’s disease, according to new data from Iowa State University researchers. The results from the pilot study revealed improvements in mood and motor symptoms, as well as reduced physiological indicators of stress. Researchers say the improvements among singing participants are similar to benefits of taking medication.

In the news

A research team at Iowa State University is developing new scientific tools to protect the power grid from cyberattacks. That work never ends because attackers are growing more sophisticated. "It is not an end, it is a journey," said Manimaran Govindarasu, the project leader. "Definitely, we are making strides, we are making a lot of progress in that journey, but it'll be ongoing."

The ISU Guardian app, which will turn a smartphone into a valuable safety tool, will launch in spring 2019. ISU Police Chief Michael Newton said his department is also working on a neighborhood watch program called CyWatch, which will be tested next fall.

"People may think they need to spend a lot of time lifting weights, but just two sets of bench presses that take less than 5 minutes could be effective," said Iowa State University's DC Lee, associate professor of kinesiology. "The (study) results are encouraging, but will people make weightlifting part of their lifestyle? Will they do it and stick with it? That's the million-dollar question."

Singing may reduce stress and improve mood for people with Parkinson's disease, a new Iowa State University study suggests. There are benefits beyond improving respiratory and swallow control. Just one hour of singing was found to decrease heart rate and blood pressure, as well as improve neurological symptoms such as finger tapping.